Original subtitles

Here's an audio commentary. I worked on the set and the script.

I'll be your host today. I'm Dai Sato.

We have two guests today. Let me introduce them one by one.

The first person is Miss Kanno, in charge of music.

Hi, I'm Shinichiro Watanabe.

Here!

Mr. Nabeshin, good to have you.

Now, once again, Miss Kanno.

Um... I'm...

At least he gave it a try.

Anyway, let's start over...

I'm Watanabe, the director. Good to be here.

Thanks for joining us.

Thank you for having us!

The episode's already started.

Yeah, I guess we missed the beginning.

The title was "Mushroom Samba."

Right.

Tell us why you chose this episode. Miss Kanno, you go first.

Well, I love mushrooms.

You mean their shapes?

No, their taste.

- Taste? - Yup.

I'm serious!

You mean "this" kind of mushrooms?

ALL kinds of mushrooms.

All of them, like Shiitake and...

- What about Eringi mushrooms? - I love them, too!

The Eringi's shape is kinda cute.

- What? I mean its taste, not its shape! - Taste?

Do you like mushrooms that make you hallucinate?

Mushrooms that make me hallucinate?

- Director has a smirk on his face. - You mean "naughty" mushrooms...

- It's one of the topics in this episode. - That's right.

Why mushrooms?

At the very start of the project,

when we outlined the plots for all 26 episodes, they were already in it.

Oh, really?

At least the episode title, "Mushroom Samba" existed.

What about the content?

Close to what you're watching.

You had it all planned from the get-go!

I thought that's why you composed a tune about mushrooms.

I knew nothing about that!

How is that possible?

I had no idea. I just composed it because I love mushrooms!

Because I love mushrooms so much, I wrote the song "Mushroom Hunting."

- So, you had no info on the episode. - Not at all!

- No idea? - I swear!

I actually thought the story was based on my song.

It would've been nice if you'd read the reference materials I'd written.

Every so often, original orders are ignored, right?

I didn't watch the show, either.

Original orders aside, if you didn't watch the show, you wouldn't know.

So, it's been a long time since you watched this episode?

Yes, since it first aired.

Well, a whole scene finished while we were yakking away.

How did it go?

They just encountered a hit-and-run and had to made a crash landing.

The title is "Mushroom Samba." But why "samba?"

- The samba has nothing to do with it. - The music isn't a samba after all.

Part of the song name says "mushroom," but the music itself is not a samba.

At least the joy of mushroom hunting is expressed in the music, isn't it?

Oh, my, look what's happening.

Well, I guess we'll hear the music later on.

Don't you think the animation is a little "rough" here?

It's pretty "disproportionate."

I'm more familiar with animation, and I've learned to criticize it lately.

Did I use the term correctly? Can I say "animation" in this case?

Now you know I didn't draw it.

Right. Right.

It's Mr. Kawamoto's fault, isn't it?

- Yes. - In general, yes.

It's not like Mr. Kawamoto draws everything though.

Oh, I see.

Many people are involved. You don't know much about it then.

You just wanted to sound like you know a lot.

You're right. I just learned the word "animation." So I wanted to use it.

- I just wanted to sound like an expert. - You wanted to point out the funny face.

Or, should I say there was a flaw in the direction?

She wants to make it sound more like an audio commentary.

The opening sequence was absolutely brilliant, but no one was even watching.

SOh, no. We saw it. Please tell us more about it.

I worked hard on this episode.

Ah! This is one of the episodes you worked on.

Yes, it is.

You're not even paying close attention.

That dog is so cute. He's so pudgy.

He certainly is.

He gradually gains "volume," doesn't he?

You planned to feature them in this story from the get-go?

Of course. I wanted to create at least one episode with a focus on these two.

Ah... you're using that song...

I couldn't use this song, " Chiki-Chiki Bon-Bon" for a long time.

Finally I had a chance to use it.

I don't know why I wrote a song like that!

"Chiki Chiki Bon Bon?" It doesn't make sense, does it?

I can't even recall why I named it that.

I think I wanted to say, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

Oh, really?

Do you pick names based on episode titles?

It naturally comes with the lyrics.

- Oops. Did this song have real lyrics? - No. It didn't.

I think it has some reference to the episode title...

So, it's not "chicken bone?"

I'm sure it was closer to "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

So it's more like "you wanted but you couldn't," right?

Oh, I love deserts, too.

Ah, didn't you say you go by yourself?

Yes, I love going to the desert.

- Then you like this kind of landscape. - Yes! I love the long, straight road.

Naturally we wanted to go to an actual location to create artwork,

but we had no budget.

- We had to refer to photo books. - Ah, poor thing. That's what you did.

This looks like someplace in Arizona.

What are you talking about? It's planet Io!

Some people wonder if this really is a distant planet. What? They landed on a planet?

Some people wonder if this really is a distant planet.

- Ooh, a watermelon! - And it doesn't look very futuristic.

I love watermelon, too!

You like so many things!

You know what? Forget about having a coherent conversation!

You two are all over the map!

I can't really navigate as a host!

Wow, look at these characters!

He's got too much impact!

This episode has eye-catching guest characters.

They're certainly impressive.

When we were creating this show, she wasn't that well-known,

but later on she became quite famous.

- Really? - Yes, in the film called "Jackie Brown."

I think her name is Pam Grier.

What? Who is it?

- An actress. - I see. She's an actress.

I contrived the name into the story but no one even noticed it.

- I was so disappointed. - Maybe it was too witty.

"Shaft", from a movie remake, is also mentioned in this episode, right?

No one noticed that either. So it was quite disappointing.

How elaborate!

Despite the two prominent characters, it takes place in a most unlikely place.

I've been asked if this was modeled after Texas.

It certainly looks American.

The answer is no! It's in the future!

- It's getting better. - It's Sci-Fi, you know.

- A coffin in a Sci-Fi? - Look at him!

If you only watch this scene, it looks like a totally different series!

When I watch it now, the color is very distinctive, too.

It's very impressive.

These characters make my eyes hurt!

Well... frankly speaking...

this episode didn't strike me as having much focus on the story line.

What are you saying? No story?!

No, it's not that. I meant "momentum" was more of a priority.

And the color palette as well.

Because, if you think about it, the ending is unconvincing...

unless you follow the momentum of the story and enjoy it.

That's so true. unless you follow the momentum of the story and enjoy it.

That's not the case. The story is well thought-out...

I think...

Well, thanks for the compliment.

An ordinary person wouldn't be able to do something like this.

A story driven only by "momentum" is hard to write, I'm sure.

- It's extremely difficult. - It must be harder than usual.

Like I said, there's more to the story! If you'd only listen to me...

Wait a minute. This guy's interesting!

This is Mr. Domino.

- Mr. Domino? - Oh, I remember him.

He has a big bounty on his head.

His belly is so realistic!

This "animation" is awesome!

His teeth are so white!

She's like a kid who's just learned to use big words.

By the way, the fashions in this episode are kinda cool.

Yes, aren't they?

They're very stylish.

I don't want to copy them though...

All of a sudden it takes you back to the 50's, doesn't it?

Yeah, that's right.

As I recall, Jet's past goes back beyond what I actually remember.

Don't think too much and don't pay too much attention to details.

See? You can't have it both ways!

It's hard to believe that the show received an SF grand prix.

It's almost like hit-or-miss!

I love this. It's just too hilarious!

Wow, it's so big!

Look! He dropped the Shiitake mushroom!

FYI, the bag he had was based on a Madison Square Garden bag.

- Ah, he ate it! - Take a look at the bag!

It's an important detail!

Look, he's so cute! It's the best!

This is definitely the ultimate workmanship of the animators!

I've done it again!

This is a fun scene, too.

Those who are listening to this audio commentary would be...

totally convinced that Miss Kanno is the model for Ed.

Oops, the first half's over! I can't believe it! How did that happen?

Hopefully our talk in the second half will have more substance.

- We need to dig a little deeper. - You think we can manage?

What was that?

- Ah! It's Spaceship Bebop! - That's right!

She forgot?!

She's an air head, like Mr. Unsho!

I totally forgot!

Ooh, it gets better.

They look "mischievous!"

They sure do. They're setting a trap. Remember?

What? A trap?

In order to find out if it's safe to eat the mushrooms,

they try to get a grownup to eat them.

Ah, they're trying to see what happens.

Yes, that's right.

I'm so clueless. I'm embarrassed.

And there's this guy who eats one during a one-man play.

I see.

Everyone has a distinctive way of eating the mushrooms, too.

They look even more "mischievous!"

- All three have distinctive traits. - That's right.

They all act separately but add to telling the story about each other.

- Mushrooms are placed differently, too. - Oh, yeah. You're right. I see that.

See? He ate it a different way.

Ah, it's gone.

- They're cute here, too. - Yes. They are.

I remember this scene!

Really? You do?

This is where she swims, right?

Yes.

Did you have a similar experience or something, Director?

Well... frankly speaking...

it's like a hallucination...

You see bonsai pots there.

I had no idea about such "trip" scenes.

So, you had to do research?

I had no experience of my own,

so I had to call a certain individual who had the experience.

I asked him what happens first. He said, "The bathroom comes first."

What? Really?

That reaction sounds too contrived...

No way... By the way, Miss Ed...

Yes. Oh, I shouldn't respond!

This is pretty impressive.

- This is more on the nightmare side. - "Stairway to Heaven," right?

- It's actually in the dialogue, right? - Yes. "Stairway to Heaven."

At this point, were you already thinking about the movie?

- Of course. Absolutely. - That's a fib! Really?!

- Is it really true? - Of course, it was an afterthought!

I knew it!

Actually it's "Heaven's Door."

Oh, yeah. That's right.

I love Jet in this scene.

I thought maybe it was a word play.

More importantly, when we were working on the concept of the story,

the "trip" scenes were supposed to last for a very long time.

- This half was to only have trip scenes. - A frog!

Really?

After he passes the frog in this scene...

Actually this is a guy in disguise...

After he passes this frog, there was going to be a snake and...

- lizard and so on for 10 minutes or so. - All kinds of reptiles!

Ugh!

They we were gonna end the story without any particular ending.

That was your original intention?

But I was told that no one was gonna follow directions like that.

So you restrained yourself?

So we didn't go all the way.

At least you put in a frog.

We figured that was enough.

- I see. - Why did you keep the frog?

Did you torture a frog once?

It's nothing like that.

Actually I love frogs.

Really? You love frogs, Director?

I've noticed you added a frog here and there in the show.

Seriously? Frogs often turn up in the show?

I try not to make it too noticeable, though.

A frog in a previous life?

Jet's talking to plants now.

After this, Faye swims across the ocean.

- Where does she end up? - A new continent.

Wow, this takes me back! This is just great!

You still hear this song pretty often here and there.

- Really? It's used in a similar way? - Yes. Yes.

- When "punchy" music is needed... - Maybe it's easy to use.

He looks... unbelievable...

That looks like my TV set.

Your TV's about that size?

No, it's even smaller.

You watch such a small screen?

Yes. The VCR Combo, you know.

Is that futuristic or ancient?

He had something in his mouth. Something in his mouth...

Even though it all looks lighthearted, you've added a lot of details, right?

Of course! That's to be expected.

That's so cool!

She doesn't have a license, though.

- She's driving where there's no path! - There are no traffic laws, I think.

There's a watermelon!

Its shape is not quite right...

- I just noticed it. - It looks like a rugby ball.

- We need to retake? - Should you?

- Well, it's made on planet Io. - That's true.

- So, it's a little pointy. - Right. Pointy.

The detail here is the logo that says "Policia" instead of "Police."

Ah! That's great!

Do you sometimes use a different name, like "Polizei?"

I sure do.

- Oh, really? - You make such a distinction?

He looks like an ordinary guy.

I wonder what PDI stands for. I can't remember.

That could happen, you know.

- I love this scene! - I know. He gets a headache!

- So you watched it. - Of course I did!

The old men are there again.

This was an important point.

Yes, it was the highlight of the story.

That's right.

When you eat shaved ice in a hurry, you get a headache, you know.

I don't think such a phenomenon has ever been depicted in an anime.

It's so tension-packed!

It shows something that has never been depicted.

It's kind of a redundant detail though.

Oh, no. It's been said that it was the highlight of "Shaft" after all.

Here they've finally arrived...

It's hard to figure out what this is.

What in the world is it?

It's what hit-and-ran into the ship. You weren't paying attention, huh?

Well, I guess I didn't.

Ooh, tasty-looking Shiitake!

This is where he's growing them.

He's growing Shiitakes in a spaceship.

Right. And the interior looks humid.

- It's very well-rendered. - It looks moldy and yucky.

Even though the ship's in a desert?!

Sure. It looks really moldy, right?

Where does the humidity come from?

Well, it's a spaceship and he flies everywhere in it.

I love it right after this scene where they get affected by their own attacks.

Right here.

"Wait! Wait!"

Here comes another highlight!

This is definitely the greatest scene!

I thought he was prepared by artists for this particular scene,

but he wasn't really relevant after all.

That's the truth... exposed!

- The scene looks picture-perfect. - But I was hugely disappointed.

It's just too good!

I might even say this episode existed just to hear this!

This is so rockin'!

Africa? Or Mexico City?

What's up with the lyrics?

Who came up with the lyrics?

What I did was make a list of a bunch of scary city names.

- You mean bad places? - Yes. Bad.

That would upset Africans, right?

- But you say "Osaka", too. - That's right. I say "Osaka."

- "Osaka is a Babylon, too?" - Maybe you meant "funky."

Right. A bunch of funky places.

I'm glad we could settle that.

When I was watching this scene, the word "funky" came to me.

That's true. "Funky" is the theme.

Wow, look at her!

- Ayi-yi-yi... - Actually something big is happening.

- That's true. - But no one's reacting to it.

It's incredible! Ein looks cute from the back!

The scene is full of action, and no one's even around to react!

- What a strange situation! - That's true.

You just get drawn into it.

This is an incredible gun battle.

Right.

This is so impossible.

Look how she climbed up all the way.

Ah! The puppy's going ahead!

It's so cool that he's "charging."

This is so full of details.

Yes.

Did you see Jupiter in the background?

Oh, no. Not at all!

There! Look!

- What? What? - It's proof that the story's Sci-Fi.

Wow, we missed that.

I want you guys to pay attention to those details as well!

- This is cool, too! - I guess no one's really watching.

The way she jumps is perfect! I love the back view of her, too!

He's shaking his head...

What a face...

There's hardly any dialogue here!

Because we deleted it.

- A cow... cow... cow! - That's the shadow main character!

He says something right here...

- Can we listen in? - Sure. Of course.

- Let's keep quiet. - Silence is no good...

What does he say?

We're not there yet!

They're negotiating right here.

- Look at Ein! - There he is.

I was very specific about how the corgi communicated.

- Like what? - How the Welsh corgi came about and...

Here it comes. This is the scene.

- Was that it? - Corgi and Cow spoke.

Shorter than you remembered it?

Totally different from your memory, huh?

Didn't they talk a lot more?!

Maybe in the "Mushroom Samba" in your mind, it ran longer.

I thought it was gonna gain a lot more momentum!

It was anticlimactic...

- Your memory failed you. - Not exciting as you thought, huh?

It was supposed to be a more moving scene with the animals.

Like "Animal Planet."

- He's a sheepdog, you know. - Oh, yeah! That's right.

Now it makes sense!

- You had that in mind? - Of course it was by accident.

Mushroom. Mushroom.

In this part of the series they look like a family. They're well-balanced.

I agree. Just like a father, mother...

You mean it goes downhill after this?

No. It starts to get a little sad.

It's not like it gets sad out of the blue.

No, but you can tell that the end is near.

Spike didn't shine at all in here.

That's so cruel!

I like this part.

I wanted to see Spike act cool.

You forgot that you chose this one!

She chose this episode for today.

I wish I could rave about him...

You wanted to rave about him?

It's not too late yet. Go ahead!

They had no shining scene either.

When you watch it again, huh?

This "non-descriptive" ending is good!

After this they feast on Shiitake.

I would absolutely love that!

- I'm not too sure bout this iced stuff... - For dessert?

But I'd love to eat it.

The point is that they had to eat them in about a week, not how they're cooked.

Ed is the only one eating like a pig.

Even the dog is eating mushrooms!

He's just a beast, after all. He doesn't care.

So, anyway...

we talked about nothing!

We had the composer and the director of the show...

as guests today for this audio commentary.

However... right? as guests today for this audio commentary.

I wanted you to share a lot of interesting stories,

but it was kind of tame.

- Your expectations were too high. - Right.

Maybe it wasn't the right crowd.

There was no "moving" story.

At any rate, could you each please wrap it up with a brief message?

First, Miss Kanno, what did you think after seeing it after such a long time?

It reaffirmed that I really love Shiitake mushrooms.

I see.

Thank you for your wonderful comments.

Now, next...

It was so wonderful that it brought tears to my eyes.

I'm sure no one can see them.

- It was a good story. - The picture's blurry with tears, right?

Anyway, please give us your final thoughts before we go.

We had to wait till the last minute to discuss anything about the show.

It's already over?

I guess that's how it goes, and that's OK.

That's my attitude these days...

Yup, that's life.

- Is that all you wanna say? - Sayonara. Good-bye!

We have a little more time left.

I already said "goodbye" and it's still lingering!

I'm glad it was very lighthearted instead of getting heavy.

Otherwise the composer and the director might make it sound really serious.

So we can end in a loose, cool style.

Right. Cool is the key.

- It was really cool. - See you someday, somewhere!